Black and Blue in a haze of Green
by Abby's Bumblebee
Summary: After everything that went down on Dathomir, Ezra's nightmares plague him. Luckily, his family is there to help him overcome his fears. Rated M for graphic content.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars Rebels or anything affiliated with such.**

 **So, this is based on after Visions and Voices. I hope you enjoy it.**

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Green. Everything was a haze of green, fluttering around like smoke from a campfire. The numbing buzz that accompanied the mystical fog caused Ezra's head to spin in alarm. Where was he? His heart beat harder in his chest, the fear of unknown overtaking any other thought. He couldn't see anything but **green**.

Green here.

Green there.

Green eyes staring.

Green smoke.

Ezra paused a moment, looking back. Did he imagine that?

" _Ezra._ " A faint voice whispered. Ezra sucked in a breath, his eyes widening in surprise.

He most definitely did **not** imagine that. Turning his head left and right, he tried to diagnose where the voice came from. When he identified no threat, he sighed. Nobody was around.

" _ **Ezra!**_ " Ezra flinched, flipping around, only to come face to face with a pair of glowing green eyes. A pair of eyes he knew all too well.  
Kanan.

Ezra winced, jumping back at the cold glare of Kanan's green eyes, which bore into his blue ones. For the most part, Kanan's face was neutral, as if he were a droid on power-down mode.

As Ezra took a tentative step forward, he brought his hand to Kanan's face, waving it over the man's eyes.

"Kanan?" Ezra's voice was quiet, feeling helpless under his master's dull gaze.

" _Our due must be paid._ " Kanan said in a hushed and distorted voice. A flash of blue contrasted with the green fog, causing Ezra to jump back and instinctively reach for his lightsaber. It clashed against Kanan's blue one.

"Kanan! Snap out of it. Whatever's got a hold of you, you need to fight it!" A crooked smile flashed on the man's face. Whoever this was, it wasn't Kanan.

Not anymore.

Pushing Kanan back, Ezra readied himself for another oncoming attack from the man, who simply tilted his head at the boy. What he didn't expect, however, was the sound of another lightsaber being ignited. Flipping his head around, Ezra was just in time to see a black saber slicing toward him. He jolted in surprise and lifted his lightsaber to block it, narrowly missing being hit. Lifting his head to glare at the newcomer, Ezra was taken aback as he soon recognized the person behind the blade.

That hair. Those colors. Ezra's eyes widened in horror. Sabine was standing there, her messy white and purple hair covering her eyes like a canopy. A sliver of green shone behind the cracks of her hair, causing her demeanor to falter.

"Sabine, it's me. It's Ezra!" Hoping to coax her back, Ezra approached cautiously, trying to look as nonthreatening as possible. Sabine let out a snarl, causing Ezra to flinch, gripping onto his lightsaber tightly.

" **You belong to us, boy!** " Kanan and Sabine snarled, charging toward Ezra. Kanan swung hard, knocking Ezra back. He let out a groan as he collapsed onto the ground.

Quickly, he shook off his fall and noticed his lightsaber near Sabine's feet. Ezra called it to him using the force, beckoning it to him.

But that didn't happen.

A panic began to build in Ezra as he tried calling on the lightsaber again. It didn't move.

" _Our due must be paid._ " Kanan hissed out, walking with his lightsaber dragging on the ground. The sparks caused Ezra to flinch and cower away. Sabine mirrored Kanan, dragging her dark saber on the ground, smiling in a way Ezra never would have wanted to see.

"Kanan! Sabine! Please, stop! Snap out of it!" Ezra shouted, fear encasing his frame. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. All he could do was watch. Ezra was helpless.

" _Ezra._ " Kanan whispered, his crooked grin spreading from ear to ear.

" _Join us, Ezra._ " Sabine crouched on all fours, tilting her head. Somehow she still held onto the dark saber as she crawled toward him.

Ezra's breathing increased. The horror of his friends, his _family_ , turned against him sent chills through his body and etched their dark forms in his mind.

' _I can't let that happen._ '

Quickly making it to his feet, Ezra somersaulted away from Kanan and Sabine and made a B-line toward his lightsaber. He beckoned his legs to speed up.

Faster.

 _Faster!_

Sliding to a halt, Ezra made it to his lightsaber and ignited it. The boy quickly turned around, only to turn and have it clash against Kanan's. The need to change his friends back overcame the fear of losing them, causing Ezra to fight harder than he ever thought possible.

He swung. Left. Right. Block. Strike. Counterattack. Block. Stumble.

Ezra stumbled back, gasping for air. His orange shirt was soaked with sweat from the fight with Kanan. Waving his saber around, Ezra found a better grip on it, preparing himself for another fight, when abruptly, Kanan started laughing; cackling like a maniac.

Ezra raised an eyebrow skeptically, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Swiftly, he flipped around, only to see nobody there. As he turned back, Kanan was gone.

Ezra was alone.

"Ezra"

" _Ezra_ _!_ "

" _ **Ezra!**_ "

All around him, distorted voices called his name, swirling around him like a tornado. Ezra groaned, gripping his head in frustration. Why'd they have to taunt him.

Why?

 ** _Why!_**

Ezra screamed as loud as he thought possible, throwing his arms out in a defensive stance.

Everything froze. The voices ceased, and the only noise was from Ezra's heavy breathing. Swallowing hard, Ezra looked around for the threat one last time before sagging his head in defeat.

"Ezra."

A chill ran up Ezra's spine, causing him to straighten up. He didn't dare turn around. He didn't want to. But something made him anyway.

As he turned, he could only stare in complete horror at the mangled and decaying forms of Kanan and Sabine. Kanan's beard was all but gone, save for a few patches of hair. His eye sockets were void of any eyes, filled with nothing but green, and his hair looked burned and charred. His clothes were disheveled and slacked, filled with holes and blood stains. It hurt Ezra seeing him so wounded.

Sabine looked nothing like herself. All her armor pieces were missing, replaced by her underarmor. Her pants were shredded, blood stains coating the tan fabric. Ezra shuddered, seeing her so vulnerable. Worst of all, however, was her face. Sabine held a wide smile, eyes brimming with green. A huge gash traveled from her left eye, up toward the back of her skull. Her pure white hair was stained with red.

Ezra felt his stomach churn in disgust. He had let this happen. He had allowed his family to become this **hurt**.

A hand slithered onto Ezra's shoulder, causing him to gasp and snap out of his daze, only to see Kanan grinning at him. Sabine managed to get behind Ezra, gripping his arm.

Her other hand clasped onto the opposite arm, holding him down.

Instinctively, Ezra began to squirm out of Sabine's hold, but that wasn't possible. He couldn't move from her hold. She was too _strong._

" _Your debt will be paid._ " Kanan replied, his grin widening exponentially.

"I won't let that happen! I'll save you, Kanan. I promise! I'll do everything in my power to save you!" Ezra yelled in desperation, trying to free himself from Sabine's hold.  
Kanan lifted his lightsaber up to Ezra and ever so slowly, dragged it across his scars. A scream erupted from Ezra as he tried wiggling free from his grasp. It burned his flesh, causing tears to seep into his eyes.

" _You belong to me, boy._ " Kanan hissed, de-activating his lightsaber. The man reached out, cupping Ezra's jaw in a semi-affectionate manner. Ezra's stomach dropped. This monster before him was not his Master. It couldn't be. And yet, here he was. Staring down in complete terror at the hideous sight of his Master.

" _You're mine now!_ " Kanan growled, taking a step back and looking Ezra over. Sabine's grip tightened in anticipation. She knew what was going to happen. And Ezra didn't like it.

"N-No. No! Kanan, please! D-Don't do this." Ezra pleaded, desperate to escape from this torture.

He saw Kanan reach out to something. Something metallic. Ezra saw movement from behind him and his anxiety grew exponentially. Sabine now held his arms tightly to his side in a tight bear hug. The boy's heart beat faster and faster as he saw Kanan before him.

Holding onto the dark saber, and his own lightsaber, Kanan ignited them both, holding them parallel to each other. At one final cry for help, Ezra called out to his Master, begging for him to stop. But it was no use. This wasn't Kanan. This wasn't his Master. This was a devil in disguise.

" _You failed me, Ezra. You failed us all._ "

Fighting back tears, Ezra could only watch as his former Master rose the sabers high, towering over them all. Every living fiber in Ezra's body went rigid at the horrid sight. He couldn't look away. Couldn't flinch. Couldn't scream. He only watched and waited.

The slash of black and blue filled his vision, followed by a searing, agonizing pain that crippled his soul and immobilized his very being.


	2. Chapter 2

Ezra lunged from his position, screaming as he grabbed onto his chest. Even though the scream had echoed throughout the ship, it fell onto deaf ears. Ezra panted heavily, caving into his hands that never left his chest. Sobs began wracking his body as Ezra began to shutter. He felt so cold. So _broken_.  
Slowly, a clouded hand came into Ezra's blurred vision, waving up and down. Out of fear, Ezra flinched, even though he could barely see the hand. His sobbing never ceased. Everything was just so _numb_ around him _._

With tear filled eyes, Ezra turned his head to see a grey figure. The person wasn't too close, but they weren't far away either. Forcing his eyes to adjust, Ezra could make out pointed ears amid the blur of tears. For a moment, the image haunted him, halting his breathing, but a stuttered sigh escaped the boy's lips as he recognized who he was with.

Zeb.

Words were being spoken by Zeb, Ezra could tell. He could hear it, albeit faintly. It was like everything was muffled. Did he have a pillow over his ears? No, his hands were still clinging to his chest. His chest. Peering down, Ezra saw that he was clutching his shirt tightly, his hands shaking as if he were in searing pain.

" _ **You failed me, Ezra. You failed all of us."**_

Ezra flinched and gasped in pain as if the memory wounded his chest. The boy's breathing quickened drastically. He was hyperventilating.

The same hand came into Ezra's vision, waving slowly. The movement was somewhat soothing. Not too fast, like how Kanan and Sabine had attacked Ezra before.

"Z-Zeb?" Ezra's hoarse voice squeaked. He sounded so far away; like he wasn't all there.

Ezra darted his eyes, trying to find Zeb again, though all he could make out was a blur of light grey. Faint noises resonated to the left of Ezra, toward the blur of grey. Zeb was talking again. His voice wasn't as gruff. It was soft and full of worry. Ezra concentrated hard on his voice. The soothing concern from his friend began bringing him back to reality. Soon, Ezra found that he could make out what Zeb was saying.

"Ezra, stay with me, kid. I need you to listen."

Ezra nodded slowly in understanding, his eyes darting away from Zeb. A sudden snap alerted Ezra back to Zeb, looking at him with fear filled eyes which brimmed with tears.

"Listen. Kid, you're having a panic attack. At least I think. I need you to count with me, alright?"

Perplexed, Ezra raised an eyebrow. Panic attack? Was it because of-. A set of snaps alerted Ezra to look at Zeb once more.

"Don't think about nothin'. Focus on me, kid. We're gonna count, alright? One…"

Ezra hesitantly opened his mouth to speak 'one', and barely managed to say it. He still sounded so far off.  
"Two. Three. Four…"  
Repeating these words, each with a stronger force, Ezra began to come back to reality. He mimicked Zeb's counting, growing more tuned in to his senses around him. Soon, Ezra's breathing evened out as they continued to approach 10.

"Eight. Nine. Ten." Zeb and Ezra finished in unison. A stuttered sigh escaped Ezra, causing Zeb to cast a worried glance toward him. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. It made Zeb uneasy, causing him to shuffle his feet. He really wished he could just get Kanan to help, but knew that was a bad idea. Ezra went through enough turmoil in his dreams as it is.  
Ezra began to look around, taking in his clear surroundings, while Zeb rocked back and forth awkwardly. The bedding on which Ezra sat was disheveled, no doubt by his rude awakening from that hideous nightmare. His clothes were also disheveled and wet from sweating so profusely. Ezra took note that he was still shaky, although not quite as bad as before. A shutter quivered through Ezra's body, the memory of the nightmare slowly resurfacing.

"Hey, kid? You alrigh'? You had me worried for a while."

Ezra looked to Zeb fearfully, which only caused Zeb's worry to increase. The kid didn't look very good, to say the least. Zeb could smell and see the layer of sweat that covered Ezra's body, and even in this lighting, Zeb could tell that Ezra was very pale. Whatever the kid saw in his nightmare that involved both Kanan and Sabine wasn't good.

Bringing a hand to his head, Ezra sighed heavily, wiping his brow. He felt both hot and cold at the same time. Not a good combination. Looking back to Zeb, Ezra smiled weakly.

"I just… had a bad dream, is all."

"Karabast, I could have told you that." Zeb chuckled dryly, setting a hand on his hip.

Once more, the room fell silent. Ezra seemed to go distant once more, his mind travelling back to that dark place. Narrowing his eyebrows, Zeb waved his hand in front of Ezra, causing the kid to flinch. It hurt Zeb to see Ezra so vulnerable, but he wanted to help. _Needed_ to help.

"Hey, how about we go get something to drink, eh?"

Ezra shrugged, avoiding Zeb's gaze. It was obvious that he wasn't alright. Zeb could see it in his eyes. The fear. The distant gaze. Ezra looked like an 8 year old again; lost and small and scared.  
Zeb flattened his ears against his head, rubbing it awkwardly. Maybe he should get Hera. At least she knew how to take care of this kind of stuff. Quickly, an idea struck Zeb's mind, causing him to smile at the thought.

"Come on, kid. I've got a hot chocolate that has your name on it." Zeb said, perking his ears forward and looking at Ezra with a warm smile.

Ezra turned to Zeb, a weak smile forming on his pale features. He nodded in agreement and scooted to the edge of the bed where Zeb helped him down. From there, the two walked through the Ghost to the kitchen area where Ezra sat at the table and waited for Zeb to make the drinks.

It took a little while, but Zeb managed to successfully make two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. While he wasn't necessarily ecstatic about drinking the warm liquid at such an odd hour at night, Zeb still made it in hopes that it would cheer his young friend up and help to settle the kid down. Grabbing the two mugs of hot chocolate, Zeb wobbled to the kitchen area where Ezra sat at the table, with his head resting on his arms. He set one mug in front of Ezra, who jumped at the sound, staring at the cup in surprise before letting out a soft sigh, cupping the warm liquid and allowing his hands to heat up from the cup. Zeb took a seat across from Ezra, taking a sip. A pleasant expression cascaded onto Zeb's face as he drank the liquid. It was sweet, and with it being this sweet and this warm, there was no doubt in Zeb's mind that this wouldn't relax Ezra. Except Ezra wasn't drinking. Ezra stared down at the hot liquid, deep in thought.

"Hey kid. Your drink's getting cold."

Ezra shrugged, furrowing his brow. He was trying to hide his fear, but Zeb could see right through him.

"Ezra. It's alrigh' to be scared. I mean, even I-"

"-No its not!" Ezra cut Zeb off, pounding a fist on the table. Zeb's ears flattened, looking at Ezra warily.

"I shouldn't be such a coward, Zeb! I should be fearless and cast nightmares aside! Not let it haunt me." Ezra clenched his shaking fist in hopes that it would stop. Cautiously, Zeb set his hand on Ezra's, causing the kid to look up in surprise.

"I know what you mean. It's not every day I get a nightmare, but when I do, it's usually a nasty bugger that disrupts my sleeping patterns and makes me feel discombobulated."

"Yeah, but I always hear you snoring. If you do have a nightmare, I'm not around to see the aftermath."

Zeb chuckled wholeheartedly.

"I could say the same to you, kid."

"Yeah… Not this time, though." Ezra huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Zeb looked down at his drink, swirling its contents, before taking a swig of his hot chocolate.

"You uh… wanna talk about it? It's alright if you don't. I'm not going to push you." Zeb said, casting his gaze to the boy. He saw the teen sag his shoulders before meeting Zeb's gaze entirely. Tears threatened Ezra's vision as he looked at Zeb pleadingly. For what, he didn't know.

"What's wrong, Ezra?" Zeb asked, his eyes wide. Ezra cast his gaze back to his hot chocolate, cupping his hands around the warm mug once more. A hefty sigh left Ezra as his eyes became fixated on the swirling brown liquid in his hands.

"It was Kanan. A-And Sabine. We were back on Dathomir."

"You mean that nasty place where Maul's from?"

A nod of confirmation was Zeb's only reply before Ezra began to speak once more.

"Everything was green. And then I saw him. Kanan. He was possessed by the Nightsister spirit. He attacked me. Pushed me around. Then Sabine showed up with the Darksaber. Kanan and Sabine came after me. Chased me down and tried to _kill_ me. They kept telling me 'Our due must be paid.' I tried stopping them, but they wouldn't listen to me. They became fixed on killing me. So I did the only thing I could do. I fought back with everything I had. I fought and fought until everything suddenly became deathly still. They were gone. But they taunted me. Called out to me like they were everywhere at once. And just when I thought it was over… They showed up. But… They weren't Kanan and Sabine. N-Not anymore." Ezra shuttered as the disturbing memory of Kanan and Sabine's decayed forms filled his psyche. He shut his eyes, seeing them. Remembering the feeling of Sabine wrapping her arms around his, holding him down. Sensing that everything was wrong about the situation and that there was nothing he could do. Ezra could feel his heart beating in his ears as the image haunted him. He saw Kanan raising his saber, causing Ezra to flinch and come back to reality, where Zeb sat across from him, a concerned expression worn on his face.

"What happened?" Zeb asked, hoping he wasn't pressuring Ezra into talking about something too uncomfortable for the kid.

Taking a deep breath, Ezra began to speak once more.

"Sabine, she… Got the better of me. Held me back. She was just so _strong_. And I was so weak. All I could do was watch as Kanan grabbed ahold of both his and Sabine's saber, pointing it at me threateningly. I-I was helpless! I tried to get out. I _had_ to get out! I pleaded with Kanan, begging him to stop! But it was no use. And then-" Ezra paused, bringing a hand back to his chest, which pulsed as if the blade in his dreams had punctured him again.

"Then I watched as Kanan swung the sabers at me, piercing my chest. The next thing I remember is that I'm back in my room and you were there… helping me." Ezra bit his lip, hoping to stop the oncoming tears that brimmed the edges of his eyes. The room feel quiet, which only caused Ezra's anxiety to increase. What if this was all a dream? And Zeb was going to attack him too. Or Kanan was still possessed. Would Ezra have to run? Would he-

Ezra suddenly flinched, feeling a warm, fuzzy arm wrap around his back, pulling him in for a side hug. During the midst of Ezra's dazed processing, Zeb had gotten up and sat next to Ezra. He knew Ezra needed comfort, and while this wasn't exactly Zeb's thing, he knew it's what Ezra needed.

A sob soon wracked Ezra's body, causing him to cave into Zeb's massive form. Ezra wrapped his arms around Zeb, clinging desperately to him as if he were his only hope of survival. Zeb's ears flattened against his head as he held Ezra, patting him on the back. He soon pulled the kid closer into his embrace. Ezra clutched Zeb's fur tightly, but Zeb didn't mind. This was just a small price to pay in order to help Ezra.

"It's alrigh' kid. I've got ya. You're going to be ok." Zeb said, offering some comfort to the boy who continued to cry in his arms.

The two stayed like that for a while. Zeb continued to offer Ezra comforting words while Ezra continued to cling to Zeb, crying into his chest.

After a while, Ezra's crying seemed to calm down to light breathing. Zeb, taking notice of the difference, cautiously pulled Ezra away, only to see the kid asleep in his arms. A warm smile crossed over Zeb's features. Maybe he was good at comforting after all.

Taking this opportunity to get comfortable, Zeb slouched in his seat with an arm around Ezra. He decided to just rest here for a moment before moving the two to their shared room. Before he knew it, though, Zeb was quickly falling asleep. The hot chocolate and late night adventure really did him in. But it was worth it.

It was all worth it, if it meant Ezra was ok.

At the back of his mind, Zeb knew he was going to regret not going to his room, but it was soon whisked away as the comforting blanket of sleep washed over his form, sending him into the comforting peace of his subconscious mind.

 **I finally got this done! It took forever to get out of the writers block I had for this story, but here it is. I really hope you enjoyed this. I feel like I could continue with this, but I'm not sure. Let me know if you think I should continue on with it, or just keep it as it is. ~ Ciao Ciao ~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars Rebels or anything of the sort.**

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The soothing purr of the Ghost's air systems filled Ezra's ears, causing him to stir from an oblivious dream, one that felt surprisingly comfortable, despite the previous dreams he'd been dealing with. Sighing in contentment, Ezra nuzzled deeper into his pillow, only to realize that his pillow was really fuzzy. And _loud_. Widening his eyes, Ezra inhaled and immediately shot up in a sitting position, and identified the stench.

It was Zeb.

Ezra groaned lowly, rolling his eyes at how embarrassing that could have been if anyone saw the pair like that. He silently prayed that Chopper never got up in the middle of the night.

Groggily looking around, Ezra then realized that he and Zeb had fallen asleep in the common room after-

After his incident with his dreams.

Everything from last night suddenly flooded back to him like a tidal wave, causing his demeanor to falter, if only slightly.

 _It wasn't real. Kanan and Sabine are fine. Stop being such a baby._

Casting a sympathetic gaze toward the table, Ezra noticed that the hot chocolate that the two drank last night sat there, cold as ice.

Deciding to do something about the cups, Ezra shimmied out of the seat and succeeded with the task without waking the loud Lasat. It wasn't that hard of an endeavor. Zeb was difficult to get up at times anyway. The thought made Ezra smile.

Crawling under the table to the open space, Ezra stood and cautiously took the two cups, all the while watching Zeb for any signs of him waking up as he snuck toward the kitchen area. Luckily, Zeb never woke up.

Quietly discarding the cups in the sink, Ezra paused, his mind drifting back to the night before.

Ezra found that he felt really uncomfortable walking around the Ghost and acting like everything was fine, when it really wasn't. What he saw Kanan and Sabine become…

Ezra shuttered at the memory, his heart skipping a beat in fear. Staying near Kanan or even Sabine was out of the question. At least for now.

 _I need some air._

Quickly, Ezra strolled out of the commons and began to walk through the hallway leading to everyone's quarters, when a familiar feeling prodded at his mind. Ezra stopped, freezing in his tracks. He knew this feeling. It was a concerned, but caring feeling, one that Ezra would go to for comfort. But not now. Ezra couldn't face him. Not like this. Not when there was even a slight possibility that the man he knew could be something completely different.  
Bolting toward the exit, Ezra paid no heed to the feeling. In fact, he pushed it aside, blocking the connection. He just kept running, not even considering where he was going. He just needed out. Frantic tears began to cloud his vision as he ran and ran and-

Everything was in slow motion.

For a brief moment, Ezra began to float in thin air. At first, he thought Chopper disengaged the gravity. His mind drew a blank, however, as he realized that Chopper wasn't up. Ezra felt himself falling down, his short hair whipping around ever so slightly. That sinking feeling rose in Ezra's stomach as the ground drew ever closer, causing him to screech.

A loud and pounding **thump** echoed throughout the cargo bay, drowning out the low hum of the engines.

Ezra yowled in pain, clenching his teeth tightly as he saw that his ankle hung at an awkward angle.

 _Karabast. Hera's seriously going to be mad at-._

Suddenly hearing shuffling from above, Ezra shot his head up and froze in complete terror.

There stood the person Ezra didn't want to face.

"Ezra? What's wrong?"

With tears brimming at the edge of his eyes, Ezra's body became rigid as he stared into the scarred face of Kanan Jarrus.

Those piercing blue eyes continued to watched as Kanan felt around for the ladder. Watching as Kanan climbed down the ladder to the lower level, where he cautiously approached, hand outstretched as if bracing himself to hit something, Ezra heard the perturbed tone of Kanan calling out to him.

"Ezra? Are you ok?"

Kanan's eyebrows were raised in concern, sensing something was off with Ezra.

Instinctively, Ezra scooted backwards, wincing as his leg dragged across the ground, causing a throbbing pain to shoot up it.

"S-Stay away." Ezra's voice quivered in fear, looking up at the man who had slashed his chest.

Immediately, Kanan stopped.  
This wasn't like Ezra.

Something was _wrong_.

He could feel the discomfort and _fear_ coming off of Ezra in waves. It was dull, like he was attempting to block those feelings, but they were there. It tore at Kanan's heart.

Why would Ezra be hiding all those feelings? He hadn't been acting this way before. Something must have happened.

"Ezra, I just want to help." Kanan took a step forward, opening his monotonous eyes, despite not being able to see anything.

Ezra inhaled sharply, his mind flickering between seeing the sharp green color in Kanan's eyes, and seeing the dull teal.

"No. Not again. Not **again**!" Ezra shouted, force pushing Kanan back into a stack of crates. The Jedi landed with a grunt, the crates falling around him.

Ezra rose quickly and bolted to the cargo bay's ramp opener, slamming his fist onto it. Despite his ankle being at an awkward angle as he ran, Ezra bolted out into the surprisingly windy plains of Attolon, leaving the Ghost far behind him.

In his head, Ezra could hear Kanan calling his name. Or was that really happening? Ezra couldn't tell. Nor did he care. Kanan was out to get him. He was sure of it. Next, Sabine would pop around the next corner and attack him with her Darksaber. Ezra would be defenseless.

Ezra paused, looking down to his belt to see that his lightsaber was missing.

He really _was_ defenseless.

A quiver in his lip began, and soon his whole body began to shake. Ezra took in a deep, muggy breath and looked around, trying to grasp his bearings and shake off the adrenaline. He stood toward the outskirts of the base, the sensors in sight. The sun hadn't risen above the horizon just yet, but it would in a couple of hours. At least he thought. It looked like a storm was approaching, with dark clouds covering the sky.

"Ezra!"

Ezra flinched, flipping around as he was interrupted from his thoughts. That was Kanan's voice. He was sure of it.

Ezra turned back toward the line of sensors and took a step forward. He instantly cried out, crumbling to the floor in a heap of pain. Tears sprang to his eyes, but he bit his lip, forcing the tears away. Ezra groaned in pain, clutching his leg. Peering down, he could tell his ankle wasn't sprained. Not as it sat at that angle.

Ezra was immobile. Defenseless.

 _Helpless._

"Ezra?"

Ezra flinched once more. He didn't need anyone. Especially not Kanan. Forcing himself upright, Ezra stood and limped off, grabbing one of the sensors and quickly evading Kanan's voice, walking through the darkening plains of Attolon.

"What do you mean he's _gone_?!"

Kanan was surprised at how exasperated Hera's outburst was at this time of night. Granted, he had woken her up from a deep slumber, and he knew she was tired as she sat on her bed, but this was an emergency.

"I mean he ran off, but it sounded like he was hurt. He was limping."

"Can you sense him?" Hera asked, looking to Kanan with worry filled eyes.

He shook his head in reply, lowering his gaze.

"I can't make out where he is. It's like he's trying to block me."

Hera nodded in reply, her eyes hazing as she began thinking about why Ezra would just get up and leave out of the blue like he did. The swoosh of a door opening caused Hera and Kanan's attention to drift to the left where Hera saw Sabine's door open.

"What's going on?" Sabine muttered, rubbing at an eye. A yawn escaped her lips as she approached the two.

"Ezra ran off. We don't know why, but Kanan has reason to believe that he's injured. Meaning we need to get a move on. He can't be far." Hera said, grabbing her boots and slipping them on.  
Immediately, Sabine sobered up, staring worriedly at Hera, who was shoving her boots on.

"I'll go fetch my gear and get Zeb and Chopper up."  
With that said, Sabine ran back into her room, the door sliding shut.

"Come on. We better get a move on too."  
Hera stood up next to Kanan, grabbing his hand and squeezing it as a sign of comfort. He squeezed back, looking in her direction with a worried expression.  
"I think something's wrong, Hera. I don't think I should go."

Hera was taken aback at the answer.

"Kanan, you're the only one who can find him. You have to-."

"That's not true. Chopper can find him."

"Kanan, it could take him a while to even find Ezra, and we don't even know if he kept his com on him in order to track him."

Kanan sighed, closing his eyes. He really was the only one that could find Ezra. It was highly unlikely that Ezra would have grabbed his com, as he had just bolted out of the Ghost.

He soon found himself drowning everything out around him. The ships engines. The shuffling from Sabine's room. The light breathing of Hera. The static from outside. Everything swam into darkness, allowing Kanan to focus more on his bond with Ezra. He knew it was there. He could sense that Ezra was trying to block him. Lucky for Kanan, he could tell that Ezra was failing. Ezra was near.

"He's not far, but he's still trying to block me."

Hera gave a small smile, taking it as Kanan was at least reluctant to help out, and tugged on Kanan's arm, beckoning him to follow. The two quickly made their way into the galley to see Sabine trying to wake Zeb up.

"Zeb, come on! Get up!" Sabine tugged on Zeb's arm, pulling him from his slumber. The Lasat fluttered his eyes open, looking around groggily. He yawned, stretching out.  
"What's goin' on?"

"Ezra's missing. We need to get going if we're going to have any chance of finding him." Sabine's voice was laced with fear, though she tried her best to hide it.

Immediately, Zeb sat up straight, looking around.  
"Wha- Where's Kanan? Did he go looking for him?"

"I'm right here."  
Zeb turned to the entrance and saw Kanan and Hera standing there. Zeb flattened his ears against his head, looking at the Jedi with worried eyes.

"You and Sabine need to stay here, alrigh'? It won't be good for you to go out." Zeb's heart was pounding. If something happened to the kid and he couldn't protect him, he'd never forgive himself.

"Zeb? What are you talking about?" Sabine asked, walking beside the Lasat. She furrowed her brow at him.

"We don't 'ave time for this. Ezra could be-"  
"Zeb? What is it?" Hera asked, her voice stern as she interrupted the Lasat.

Groaning loudly, Zeb's shoulders sank in defeat.

"He's...still not over Dathomir, alrigh'? Whatever you guys did, it scarred him, though I doubt he'll let you see that. He had a nasty nightmare last night, which must have caused this flare up to happen."

The room became deathly silent, everyone taking in this information, until Kanan spoke up.

"Ugh, that explains why he's trying to block me. I've been having a difficult time trying to sense him. I should have seen this coming." Kanan ran a hand through his pulled back hair.  
He felt a soft hand on his shoulder, sensing it was Hera.  
"We don't have time to dwell on this, love. Ezra's still out there."  
"So what's the plan then?" Sabine said, setting a hand on her hips.

"I suggest Kanan and Sabine stay here. You two will only make things worse. Me, Chopper, and Hera will go out looking for him. He can't be far, right?" Zeb said.

"Right." Kanan replied. He suddenly tensed. Something wasn't right. He could suddenly feel Ezra through the bond. He tensed up, as if something were about to happen. Kanan sensed the static in the air again. As soon as he felt that, a thunderous rumble shook the Ghost, causing everyone's stance to falter slightly.

"Oh no." Zeb muttered, looking to Hera in terror.

Kanan instantly knew what this was. The static in the air. The thick humidity. This was a storm. A **big** one.  
The Jedi cursed at the fact that he didn't see _any_ of this coming.  
Quickly, the crew ran down to the cargo bay, out into the windy plains of Attolon where they stood, watching as a large, thunderous storm erupted before their very eyes.

They all watched in terror as a lightning bolt crackled through the sky like broken glass.

"Karabast, kid. Where are you?" Zeb muttered. 

* * *

**I'm so sorry about the long wait for this chapter. I've been really busy with my 2 jobs, applying for college, and looking at cars. I hope this chapter suffices your needs and keeps you hungry for more. Ciao~**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars Rebels or anything affiliated with the show.**

* * *

Chapter 4

The thick, humid air filled Ezra's lungs as he quickly limped into the wild plains of Attolon, searching for a place to hide from the oncoming storm. His adrenaline was slowly depleting from his encounter with Kanan.

Pausing to catch his breath, Ezra looked to the sky and watched as a brilliant streak of white light zig-zagged across the inky sky, a clap of thunder not far behind. He was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts as a drop of liquid fell onto his cheek. Bracing himself against the sensor, Ezra held his hand out, feeling more drops of rain fall onto his hand.

 _Karabast. I hope this weather doesn't get bad here._

A roaring clap of thunder reverberated through the sky, shaking the ground beneath Ezra's feet. He groaned in pain as his ankle shifted. Somehow, he could sense that the weather would be even worse here than on his home planet.

Shifting his gaze out to the large coralline plants that littered Attolon, Ezra spotted one that hung low to the ground. Taking a shaky step forward, he stumbled toward the coral. Every step, however, caused him to wince in pain. He hoped he didn't break his ankle.

Ezra paused to rest his leg, lifting it so all his weight remained on his right foot. The rain began to pour heavier, soaking his clothing. A shiver reverberated through his body, causing him to rub his arms in an attempt to warm himself up. He was almost to the coralline canopy. Just a few more feet and then he could sit and calm down.

Now determined more than ever, Ezra started toward the canopy.

One step. Another. Another.

Ezra suddenly stopped, his body going rigid. The static in the air suddenly increased.

Something was _wrong_.

The force whistled to Ezra and, instinctively, he somersaulted to the side.

A white explosion erupted in front of Ezra, causing him to scream as he was thrown from the explosion. He scrambled back, casting his wide eyes upon the canopy, which had burst into flames. The ground where Ezra was standing was scorched black from the impact of lightning shooting up through the ground. Sparking in the middle of it was the sensor that he was using as support.

Ezra panted heavily as he sat on the ground, clutching his leg tightly. He glanced at his leg, then back at the fried sensor and sighed heavily.

"Now what am I going to do?"

A flash of lightning skimmed across the sky, its counterpart roaring wildly. Ezra shivered, folding his arms over his chest.

' _Come on Ezra. Get moving.'_

Cautiously, Ezra pulled himself up and stumbled to a standing position, covering his face from the rain that hounded on him. He then started toward another patch of plant life, pushing himself harder to get to his destination. As he slowly approached the overhang of plant life, Ezra began grinding his teeth together as he limped on. The wind was hounding at him, attempting to alter his course. This caused his injury to begin throbbing in irritation. Ezra simply groaned and pressed forward, biting his lip to keep the pain tolerable.

"At least this can't get any worse." Ezra muttered dryly.

As he slowly continued forward, Ezra took note that his leg began shaking the more weight he used on it. Looking down, Ezra took note of how large his ankle appeared as he walked.

'Great. Hera is _really_ going to kill me when she finds out about this.'

Finally reaching the coralline canopy, Ezra ducked under a large piece of coral, entering into the large and openly spacious canopy. He looked up, seeing that the dark brown coral overlapped each other. The rain from outside was repelled by these giant coral leaves. Ezra smiled gratefully, happy to be out of the storm.

Walking deeper into the thickening canopy of coral, Ezra spotted a small area where he could sit and rest peacefully. He anticipated sitting and resting. Getting Kanan's haunting image out of his head would at least be one good thing out of this day.

The crack of another thunderclap shook the landscape, and suddenly, something was amiss. It was as if the Force was blaring a red alert signal in his head once more. Ezra felt the ground start to quake, the dirt beneath his feet shifting. The coral swayed. The rocks and pebbles began jumping.

Ezra gasped as the dirt beneath him gave way, sending him falling down a dark abyss. He screamed as his back smacked against the wall, scraping his head. His body was then forced forward, causing him to scrape the wall face first. He yelped at the contact, covering his face with his hands.

Despite the fear of him falling, along with the pain he was feeling, Ezra could sense the bottom of the cavern approaching. Immediately casting all other thoughts aside, Ezra closed his eyes and focused, using what he learned to land safely.

Ezra forced his hand down, a thick, overwhelming amount of power pushed against the ground, slowing his fall in the process. He squeezed his eyes shut and suddenly, he hit the ground, immediately transitioning into a roll in order to disperse his energy.

Rolling to a halt, Ezra collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. The landing wasn't perfect, but it was better than most.

Coughing, Ezra urged himself upright. It was dark where he was. Too dark to see anything. The only light came from the hole he fell from, and even that, the light was faint.

Groaning, Ezra sat back against the wall, hissing at the throb of pain from his head. Cautiously he went to touch it and retracted his hand. Glancing down, he could see a darker hue coating his fingers.

"Oh no." Ezra muttered.

He felt his vision faltering, a static-like view overcoming his senses. Ezra reached out, trying to do something - anything to bring his vision back, but it was futile. As the static sensation overcame Ezra, he fell limp against the wall, completely immobile.

* * *

Black.

Everything was black. For a moment, Ezra thought he had just fallen asleep on the Ghost. However, outstretching his hand to sense into the darkness, a being filled his mind.  
Ezra gasped, retracting his hand in surprise. He knew who it was. He knew it was Kanan. He could feel his presence surrounding him. _Hunting_ him.

"Go away!" Ezra gripped his head, screaming into the dark abyss.

Ezra could hear a raspy breath straining for air. Kanan walked with a shuffle, keeping his distance from Ezra. That didn't stop the boy's paranoia.

" _You belong to us, Ezra."_

Every hair on the back of Ezra's neck stood on end. _Sabine_. Ezra shook his head, covering his ears. Both were here to finish the job. For good. He could feel it in the air.

"You've always belonged to us. You _must_ pay your due."

"Pay your due."

" _Pay your due."_

" **Pay your due!"**

The words spun around Ezra like a tornado. He closed his eyes, holding his head to stabilize the dizziness. He could feel everyone approaching; closing in on him. The air got clammy and warm. Their breath was just in arms reach. He was going to pay their due. There was no stopping this.

A tight grip clung to Ezra's shoulder. He shot his eyes open, reaching to his side instinctively.

It was almost instant. A low swing. A quick thrust. And those wide brown eyes boring into his own. There was no green mist. No decaying flesh. It was Sabine, plain and simple.

As fast as he could, Ezra shut his lightsaber off and dropped it, cautiously setting Sabine on the ground.

"S-Sabine? No, No, No, No, No! Hey, look at me, Sabine. Sabine!" Ezra was shaking. His hands trembled as he held Sabine's head up.

She glanced into his eyes, fearful.

"Ezra? W-Why? I was…just trying to help you."

Sabine leaned forward, grasping onto Ezra's shirt and pulling him close. Ezra sobbed, holding onto Sabine's hand.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I-It was an accident! I didn't-"

"This is all _your_ fault. You… _monster._ "

The pressure on Ezra's shirt ceased and Sabine fell back. Ezra stared, wide eyed.

He killed her.

Ended her life.

Tears of anguish trailed down his face, pained by the sight of Sabine. They weren't the monster. They never were. Ezra was.

"You killed her!" Kanan's voice called out from in the darkness.

Ezra felt a tightness in his throat. What a disappointment he must be.

" _You_ failed your friends."

Ezra sucked in a breath as a distant memory flashed across his psyche. Red. Thorns. A menacing voice. He pondered it quickly before it vanished. Ezra's gaze rose, as he realized just _who_ he was dealing with. It was as if everything connected inside his head. This wasn't Kanan. He remembered that _voice_.

"Your hope will die with them." A light cackle reverberated throughout the room.

That laugh. The deep, bellowing voice. It was unmistakable.

 _Maul._

"NO!"

Ezra flipped around, calling upon his lightsaber, which flew into his grasp. The saber hummed to life and immediately the world around him glowed green.

 _Everything_ around him was a haze of green, fluttering around like smoke from a campfire.

He couldn't see anything but _green._

Green here.

Green there.  
 **  
Red** eyes staring.

Green smoke.

Ezra froze. He tightened his grip on his lightsaber, which only caused it to quake. He focused his eyes on the red ones, never letting them out of his sight. Never letting _Maul_ out of his sight.

"Ha-Ha-Ha, very good, my young apprentice. You are one step closer to fulfilling your destiny at my side."

"Why are you here?" Ezra called out with a shaky voice.

Cackling resonated all around Ezra. Surrounding him. Like an animal caught in a cage, Ezra flicked his head left and right, waiting and listening for an attacker. Ezra furrowed his brow in frustration.

"I should have known it was **you**."

"Oh, but you _have_ know. I've always been there."

No. That couldn't be right. They severed their bond. He couldn't be there. He _couldn't_! Ezra shook his head.

"I've been so caught up thinking that both Kanan and Sabine were out to get me, but it was _you_. All of it. You've been-"

Ezra didn't have time to finish, as he was knocked back by the slash of a saber. Ezra tumbled to the ground. Quickly, he used his momentum to stand on his feet, but was met with dual force from a blue blade. Kanan's blade. Ezra held in his fear; held the urge to scream, to run away from this _monster_ , but he knew that deep down Maul was still in his psyche. Still plaguing his thoughts. Still _trying_ to win his favor. Still using his friends, his _family_ against him. Not anymore.

Ezra pushed Kanan back, using the force as his aid. The room became illuminated with an aquamarine tint, highlighting everything around the two. Ezra dare not focus his attention away, however, for his adversary was Maul. Not Kanan. He wouldn't get distracted. Not this time.

"You failed, Ezra. It's too late for me. For us." Kanan boasted, clashing his lightsaber with Ezra's.

Glancing at Kanan with new found hope in his eyes, Ezra pushed Kanan back and stood tall, lightsaber drawn at his side.

"That's where you're wrong."

Kanan stopped, looking at Ezra with narrowed eyes. The boy in front of Kanan kept his gaze fierce. That fire. That passion. It was fueling Ezra. There was something different to him now. Something new.

"It's never too late, Kanan. You of all people have taught me that. I've been so distraught with my fear that I lacked the ability to move past it. It's corrupted me, and plagued my mind to the point where I became afraid of you."

Ezra dropped his lightsaber, the blue light spilling into the green. He stood with a fearless stature, looking at Kanan with determination.

"Fool! End him! End him **now!** " Maul's voice shouted throughout the clouded smoke.

Kanan tensed, his eyes began to glow a transparent hue of red. Behind him, a vibrant pair of red eyes broke through the smoke. Immediately, Kanan ran forward, lightsaber outstretched to his side. Ezra stood firm, watching as Kanan got closer and closer. Ezra watched and waited, hoping for an opening or for some way to fight back. As he watched Kanan's movements, he remembered a similar event. Back on Lothal, when he was undergoing his trials, The Inquisitor arrived, with a thirst to slay Ezra. Despite the fear raging inside him, Ezra stood his ground. What was different then? Why didn't the Inquisitor slay him? It was so long ago. What changed?

Like a bolt of lightning, Ezra realized what needed to be done. He took a deep, shaky breath and closed his eyes, drowning everything out. With a calmer resolve, Ezra spoke out.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore!"

It was as if time stood still. Kanan stood completely frozen. He was just in arms reach of Ezra; almost ready to end him. Taking a step forward, Ezra set a hand on Kanan's shoulder, while looking out toward the green mist. He took a deep breath in and ever so slowly let it go.

"You are not my adversary, Kanan. You never were."

Releasing his grip, Ezra stepped forward, gazing into the green mist. Kanan's form began to scatter like dust, becoming one with the mist itself. Outstretching his hand, Ezra called upon the force, waving the mist away in one fell swoop. The room soon was washed away of all green, leaving a warm yellow hue surrounding him. Gazing to the corner, a small, green mist cowered away in fear.

It was Maul. Or at least that's who it seemed like to Ezra. Slowly approaching, Ezra outstretched his hand. The being turned to face Ezra, with its piercing red eyes glowering into Ezra's blue.

"I told you before and I'll tell you again. I will _never_ be your apprentice. You are not wanted here anymore. Get out and stay out."

With a quick slash of his hand, Ezra caused the mist to scatter into a million pieces, dissipating into thin air. He watched each particle sizzle, and one by one, he felt lighter.

The dark fog surrounding him became clear. Maul was gone. Hopefully for good.

Ezra exhaled heavily, collapsing to the floor. It was over. He won. A small smile curled at his lips. It had been a while since he felt peace. With this growing rebellion, it was hard to find time to himself. Ezra hoped this was all he had to do, but deep down, he could sense that there was more to come as the rebellion grew.

Ezra furrowed his brow, perplexed as noises began to register in his audio receptors. It was muffled at first, but the sound of water was unmistakable. The ceiling above Ezra began darkening, causing him to look up. A drop fell onto Ezra's arm, wetting his sleeve. Looking at it perplexingly, he lightly touched it. It was damp. Another drop fell onto his other sleeve, then another, and another. Soon, the whole room became overcast with dark clouds that began to rain. Looking around, Ezra sought shelter. He attempted to stand, but immediately regretted doing so. The ground beneath him caved in, causing him to fall into a dark abyss once more. He screamed. Covering his head with his arms, Ezra accepted and embraced the impending darkness of his mind, falling prey to oblivion itself.

* * *

 **Hi guys, I'm back! I am so so so so so sorry for leaving you hanging for like a whole year. You have no idea how hard it was for me to find time to write this. Juggling 2 jobs, along with going to college full time really doesn't give you a lot of time for yourself. At all. But in any case, I really hope this chapter was satisfying. I will try my utmost best to finish up this series. There should be at least one more chapter, so be on the lookout within the coming weeks. Have a great day guys! Ciao~**


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